Question 1

I'm brand new to Obsidian. Is this too advanced?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. OSK is designed for beginners. The user guide explains everything step by step, and the Getting Started Roadmap tells you what to learn first. Many people start with OSK on their very first day with Obsidian.

Question 2

What's new in v5?

Accepted Answer

v5 brings everything that proved itself in my vault since v4 into yours: finished work that files itself (statuses stamp their dates, done actions archive after seven days), one-click Quick Actions on your daily note, Activities and Ideas in the action system, time budgets and delivery stats, refreshed templates and Bases with Kanban boards, new AI skills, agents that remember what they learn, and a Claude Code setup that finds skills on demand instead of loading all of them up front. Add nine new plugins (K-Plex, the Kanban Action Planner and the Knowii Community plugin among them) and a much more capable OSK plugin. Everything else (and there's a LOT) is in the v5.0.0 release notes.

Question 3

I'm on v4. How do I upgrade to v5?

Accepted Answer

You don't start over. The v4 to v5 migration guide takes you through it step by step and tells you what to merge where you customized the kit. Back up your vault first: on its first launch, v5 archives finished actions older than seven days.

Question 4

What do I need to run it?

Accepted Answer

Obsidian 1.13.7 or newer (several bundled plugins need a recent version). The AI part is optional; for it, you need an AI coding agent such as Claude Code, and the skills that run scripts also need bun. Everything else works without any of it.

Question 5

Which AI tools does it work with?

Accepted Answer

Claude Code gets everything: the MCP servers, on-demand skill search, the slash commands, the output styles and every safety hook. Codex gets the MCP servers and the hooks. Gemini CLI gets the hooks (you add the MCP servers yourself). GitHub Copilot in your IDE reads the vault rules and the skill files.

Question 6

Where do I download v5?

Accepted Answer

Where you bought the kit: your Gumroad library, or the Obsidian Starter Kit space in Knowii if you got it through the community. learn.knowii.net explains both.

Question 7

Won't AI just fill my vault with generic content?

Accepted Answer

That's exactly what OSK is designed to prevent. The kit is built on a clear AI Augmentation Philosophy: AI augments your thinking; it never replaces it. The identity layer calibrates AI to your voice, values, and goals. LLM Wikis track sources and confidence for every claim. Pre-publish review panels (Editor, Skeptic, Hater, Beginner, Power User) catch generic output before it ships. AI handles the busywork; you stay the author. You can outsource the labor; you can't outsource your understanding.

Question 8

Do I need AI tools to use OSK?

Accepted Answer

No. OSK works great as a "classic" PKM system, and the user guide shows what to switch off if you want AI out of your vault entirely. When you're ready for AI, everything is already wired: agents, AI skills, LLM Wikis, an identity layer, and the OSK plugin (CLI + MCP server) that helps AI tools understand your whole vault. Claude Code and Codex connect to it on first launch.

Question 9

I already have an Obsidian vault, or an older version of OSK. Can I migrate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each major version of OSK comes with a step-by-step migration guide; the latest one takes you from v4 to v5 and keeps your setup. Starting from a vault of your own? Open OSK next to it and bring your notes in at your own pace; the user guide explains where each kind of note goes.

Question 10

What if OSK doesn't fit my workflow?

Accepted Answer

OSK is a starting point, not a straitjacket. Everything is customizable. Tweak the structure, templates, and plugins to match how you think. And if it's really not right for you, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Question 11

How do updates work?

Accepted Answer

Every update is free, for life, v5 and every version after it included. You download new versions where you bought the kit: your Gumroad library, or the Obsidian Starter Kit space in Knowii. I announce every release by email, and the release notes document every change.

Question 12

Do I need to pay for Obsidian?

Accepted Answer

No. Obsidian is free, including for work (the commercial license is optional). OSK is a pre-built vault plus documentation; the two are separate products.

Question 13

Is support included?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Email me your questions; I answer them myself and help people get started. If you're a Knowii Community member, you can also ask there, right inside Obsidian with the Knowii Community plugin.

Question 14

Can I use OSK for work or commercial purposes?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Consultants, project managers and knowledge workers use OSK for their professional work. Obsidian itself is free for work too (the commercial license is optional).

Question 15

What's the difference between Essentials and Premium?

Accepted Answer

Essentials (€199.99) includes the complete vault, the online user guide and every future update. Premium (€249.99) adds the 2h20m Obsidian Starter Course, a video course on Obsidian and PKM fundamentals. Both are one-time purchases with free updates for life.